Profile Detail:
University: Northeastern University
Course: MS in Computer Science
Kolkata Consulate
Date: May 2017
Status: Approved
Counter No: 06
Visa Interview Experience
First and foremost, I am grateful to all the seniors and co-applicants in Fall-16 and Fall-17 MS in US group. They helped me decide the list of top universities in US and also during the application process.
Below is my experience for OFC and VI.
DAY 1: Offsite Facilitation Center
Reached center at 12.05pm, slot was at 12.15. Only a handful of visa applicants were there on that day. After security check I went for Biometric and photograph counter.
I was asked for my passport, ds160, Sevis fee receipt and appointment confirmation. After the photograph was taken i was asked cto press my fingers against the biometric scanner. Thanks to the terrible summer heat and humidity my fingerprint were not detected due to sweat. On the third go, it went right.
DAY 2: Visa Interview
Reached consulate at 8:45am, and was asked to stand in a queue outside the consulate. After 30mins I entered consulate followed by security check. Then I was directed to a waiting room, again about 30mins wait
Then I was asked to go inside another room where the biometric and interview was done. There was a long queue with applicants of all types. After 10mins I got my fingerprints done which was worried about, since the fingerprint issue that happened yesterday. After that another 20mins to reach the interview counter. There were only two counters - Counters, Counter6, both had two cute blonde women, both in their early 30s, probably. I saw the counter5 lady hand two applicants 221g, so I was really hoping to visit the other counter when my chance comes. Meanwhile a small 3-4year kid who was bought to the consulate somehow managed to lock the exit door. Then all sort of ruckus followed, probably this helped ease my tension along with the song I had been playing in my head (Cliff Richard - Summer Holiday). Anyways, my turn came as the old couple (who stood infront of me) moved away from the counter. I approached counter-6 VO who had really big dorky glasses, with a BIG smile and greeted her “Hello, Good Morning!”.
Handed over my Passport, I20, Sevis Fee receipt.
VO: Why are you applying for VISA?
ME: I wish to study MS in Computer Science from Northeastern University, Boston.
VO: Why Northeastern?
ME: Northeastern provides me an array of specialisations to choose from, such as Game Design, Programming Languages, Artificial Intelligence. They have famous professors such as Mitchell Wand and William Clinger for programming Languages, (*VO starts typing*) and I wish to publish few research papers under the guidance of Timothy Bickmore of CHI.
VO: When did you pass out?
ME: I graduated back in 2013.
VO: What have you been doing since then?
ME: I was working for Larsen and Toubro since 2013 till 2016 and since then I am working as a freelance web designer and developer. (Vo starts typing again) In the past few months I have been mostly busy creating my personal website.
VO: Great! Who’s sponsoring your education?
ME: My parents are sponsoring my education. (didn’t mention my education loan from HDFC credila).
VO: What do they do?
ME: My dad is a retired govt. employee of BSNL, told his exact position.
And my mom is a retired govt corporation school headmistress.
Both of them are pension holders.
VO: Do you have any siblings?
ME: Yes, I have an elder brother who has his own travel business.
VO: Okay great! YOUR VISA IS APPROVED!
ME: Thank you so much!! (experienced cloud-9)
She kept my passport and handed over the sevis and i20 back to me.
While putting back the documents back inside my Harmonium folder, I started reminiscing about the application days and the tough days I had faced last year. Left the consulate at 10:20am. The interview was for 2-3 minutes.
Now for the MS aspirants who are yet to go for interview:
This is the order I maintained in my folder.
- passport, i20, Sevis Fee, DS160, appointment letter
- marksheet and degree
- work experience
- service certificate
- sponsor, pension books, Bank documents.
- affidavit
- resume/sop/lor/acceptance letters
I20 amount- almost 43K
Tips for future visa applicants
Believe in youself. Smile. Be confident about your answers. Be precise and short, they are not interested to hear your lifestory.
Its a tad bit lengthy process so be calm and maybe relax yourself with songs inside your head, like I did.
And the biggest thing, You have reached the counter so think that your visa is approved, now its upto you that you will give them reasons to decline it or get it accepted That’s all from my side..Let me know if I have missed out anything. Please ignore the typos.
Note: Content in this article is taken from a public forum moderated by Yocket. Personal details which may reveal the identity have been removed in order to maintain annonimity.
